Positive And Negative Affect Assessment

There is much significance in measuring ones experiences to determine particular feelings or emotions. Such knowledge can help give insight on personality, cognition, and behavior. Using the data collected from these tests, it can allow researchers and psychologists to better understand and treat those with personality disorders. One particular test is the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), whereby the “affect” refers to the experience of feeling or emotion. Affect is a key part of the process of the subject’s interaction with stimuli, and therefore an extremely important tool of measurement. PANAS measures these findings through the use of a psychometric scale. The scale measures the largely independent constructs of positive and negative affect both as states and traits. Developed by Watson, Clark and Tellegen in 1988, the test consists of 20-items that are self-reported by the subject. There are two mood scales, one measuring Positive Affect and the other, Negative Affect (PA and NA). Each item is rated on a five point scale ranging from one, meaning very slightly or not at all to five meaning extremely. This test is meant to indicate the extent to which the respondent feels in that particular time frame based on overall affect. The test can be measured in a variety of time frames including— “today, the past few days, the past few weeks or the past year,” and more commonly, “in general or in average” (PANAS ID). The PA and NA traits are mixed together and the test subject fills out how he or she feels on the 1-5 scale for all 20 items. The examiner then correlates the scores in order to determine whether the subject has personality qualities that lie more in the PA or NA region. An individual with high rated positi...

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...of inflation or deflation in values. For example, in order to feel less embarrassed, self-conscious or simply negligent to ones own emotions, subjects may note higher PA values and lower NA values in order to seem more within the “norm,” as well as just giving a value of 3 of 5 (neutral), so they do not have to pick whether the trait applies or not.

Despite the criticisms within this study, the PANAS and PANAS-X are both valuable outcome-measuring tests that work with a high level of validity and reliability. Subjects are able to fill out a fairly short test consisting of either 10, 20, or 60 items, at which point they are able to get a basic understanding of their personality and affect towards a specific stimuli. Overall, PANAS is a great tool in measuring affects, as it is able to show subjects clearly where they lie in the positive or negative realm of emotion.